I’ve been working on the remodel and this push has taken almost all of our creativity time. By the time the designing is done, there are no other creative juices left to squeeze.

A Rant in it’s Own Right:

I’ve also been contemplating the sincerity of some of my email groups and their true goals. I’ve discovered that some of them really are not here to share about craft, art or embroidery, handwork or any other creative endeavor. At least that is what I’ve gleaned from this past weeks posts.

After daily blogging, exclusively about embroidery/craft related items and posting the contents to some groups, for 60 posts, it seems that one group, evidently hasn’t even clicked the link to find that my content is definitely embroidery related. I received this disturbing note:

“As one of the moderators, I’m writing to request that you limit your posts to embroidery
discussion topics and not daily progress reports sent to a mailing list and linked to your blog.
If people visit your blog, they’ll return if they want to without your daily reminder. That is not
the purpose of this discussion group.”

I actually thought about a response to this and decided that perhaps this is a better platform in which to address this.

Mind you, the group’s description is:

“We’re a discussion group for anyone who loves needlework – canvaswork, crewel, cross stitch, Hardanger, needlepoint, etc. – and is interested in a variety of fabrics and fibers. We will also serve as a sounding board for people who enjoy designing pieces to be stitched. You don’t have to receive individual e-mails from our group, but can set your preferences at the time that you join. If you just want to log in now and again to see what’s up but don’t want to miss news about special events and sales at *Removed group/store name*, choose Special Notices..et al…<clipped>”

I really think my blog posts are definitely on topic with their description. After some thought, I believe that I am more appalled that a moderator would be ignorant enough to actually send such a notice. I know that there is no way this person could have actually clicked my links, seen my blog posts, and categorized them under “not the purpose of this discussion group”. At least I would hope not. If they did, then I would suppose that the ignorance is then arrogance.

The most outrageous quirk deals with timing. Their notice to me was sent right after my post asking for DESIGN IDEAS for the wristlets. I know I can read. Isn’t that directly related to:”We will also serve as a sounding board for people who enjoy designing pieces to be stitched.”?

For each of these, I have posted a personal note to the groups to discuss what the daily part of the project is about, i.e. I’ve completed the sewing for the wristlets. One is blue and I am wondering what kind of design to embroider on it. Maybe an elf watering the flowers? What do you think? I would appreciate any suggestions. *insert link to photo here*. Am I missing something?

Now, this group in particular is an actual STORE. A real life physical store. One that I would easily have figured could have had at any time chimed in and declared that they not only had some ideas, but actually had access to the supplies and were willing to sell them. Isn’t that odd?

So, to wrap that up, they regulate the discussion about embroidery…only limited to posts that chit chat without any references to the photos or info being on a ‘blog’? and when discussing embroidery DAILY, I am not allowed to post without a given format? And they missed opportunities to comment or supply information or product when blatantly asked for input. Oh, and they are a discussion group for an actual retail store site?

On another group, I posted about blogs and awards that were dropped here at my blog while I had a migraine, and that group took off to post 50+ posts about migraines. No posts about my content…just 50+ posts about migraines.

Just wanted to chat a little off topic, yet not too far off topic, about some of the community sounding boards out there that I have found a little bothersome.

I took on blogging to promote and foster some revival in the needle arts areas of craft and art. I really hope that anyone that has faced similar ‘problems’ like I have will stick with the other communities and hang on. Promoting and fostering a new care of or reviving a lost love of thread arts can be a lonely path without the internet. I know for myself, I do not have a large physical community of thread artists to network with. The internet, blogs, groups, email…all open up that geographic world wide. Let’s not get controlling and mirco manage it to be counterproductive.

Heading back to the ‘real’ shakers and makers of the die hard, steadfast communities. Whoo hoo’s to them:

Hand Embroidery, International Hand Stitchers, and Craftster, these groups have some of the best contributors both on blogs and on group. 😉

I avoid those email groups like the plague. I’ve never had a good experience with them. Sometimes online groups just end up feeling like self-promotion vehicles rather than people who care about the bigger picture. I do think there are plenty of good needleworkers that hang out on the fringes of these communities. Sometimes you just have to look hard to find them though.

I don’t have anyone around me either that cares about needlework. Thank goodness for the Internet!

This is horrible! I have been reading your blog forever–I subscribe becasue I do not want to miss a single post. What are those moderators thinking??? Obvioulsy they are not thinking at all. I truely hope it is not one of the ones I am on–but since I see your posts on a couple, it may be =(

I would like to say that I really appreciate the effort you but into your blog, the info, the tutorials. I cannot tel you how many times I have followed a link off your blog to find a treasure at the end (stitching fingers, Sharon B’s blog, Needle N Thread!!!).

You go girl–you keep posting and let the “moderators” who can’t see the asset you are be the loseres they are.

Hi Ruth, (paisley cat)
Thank you so much for saying what you have said. It really helps to know other people’s reactions. I know I’m not alone.
I really hope that other folks out there don’t become discouraged by actions like these in these groups. Hopefully, they will read these posts and keep going…just like I will.
Thanks for the cheers and motivational push to keep going! It’s great to know I’ve met people like you along the way of the internet!
smiles,
alicia in Hawaii

Just read this post and want to say thank you for all the information that you have given me. No matter what others say, some persons can hurt others all too often, I love your site.
Once again thanks for all the info.